Parents, Are You Listening?

Psalm 145:4-7: "One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty . . . . They will tell of the power of your works . . . . They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness."


The chief cause of the societal degradation that we are seeing in our nation is the lack of Godly parental leadership in the home. Fathers are not rising to their Divinely-appointed responsibility to be men passionately committed to God, modeling through word and deed their surrender to Christ as Lord. Mothers are being pulled in so many different directions and are swayed by so many vain, worldly philosophies that they also do not model Godliness to their children.

Psalm 145 reveals to us what the parents in fact are to be doing. Parents are to tell their children of the mighty acts of God demonstrated through His awesome power (145:6). They are to speak of the majesty of God in His glorious splendor who is to be worshipped as the Supreme Sovereign over all things (145:1,5). They also are to proclaim to their children the goodness of the Lord, who is "gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love" (145:8-9).

In the latter half of the chapter, there is an interchange of reflection upon the greatness (vs. 11, 13) and goodness (vs. 8-10, 14-16) of God Almighty. It's as if David, the writer of the Psalm cannot get enough of His Lord. He is enthralled with knowing His Lord, and he wants to share his experience with all who will listen.

In verse 17-20, we find that the LORD is near to all of those who call on Him in truth, and He watches over those who love Him. However, he destroys those who defy Him through their wicked rebellion against His Lordship.

If we ever are to see reformation in our communities, it will start with the parents. If parents are not surrendered to Christ as Lord . . . if they are unwilling to teach and model to their children the joy and blessedness that intimate fellowship with God Almighty brings, then there is little hope for our nation. God has given us the prescription. He has promised to us His blessings if we are faithful; however, He also has given to us the consequence for disobedience. Parents, let us repent of our sins, turn to God, and teach our children!